


Highest foe you'll ever grace

by Estelle



Category: Hollyoaks
Genre: Alternate Universe - Ancient Greek Religion & Lore Fusion, Alternate Universe - Mythology, Happy Ending, Happy Jarry Holidays, M/M, icarus - Freeform, mentioned Ste Hay/Harry Thompson
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-13
Updated: 2019-07-13
Packaged: 2020-06-27 17:02:13
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,841
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19795171
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Estelle/pseuds/Estelle
Summary: James is Icarus. Harry is Apollo. Of course James falls for the god of the sun, and does everything to reach him.





	Highest foe you'll ever grace

**Author's Note:**

> I'm a little late for Happy Jarry Holiday's "Yellow: Sunlight, Impulse, Ego", but the prompt immediately made me think "Icarus AU", and I figured that we can all use a little disctraction in these trying times.
> 
> The title is from Bastille's "Icarus", because what else.

The gods are throwing a party in Mac‘s favour because he built the labyrinth that holds the Minotaur, and while James can acknowledge what a feat that is, he still very much does not want to be here, in general, but also for two reasons in particular.  
Firstly, he does not think that Mac deserves this honour. While he can play at being charming on public convincingly, he is cruel and small minded in private, and surely the gods should see that and not favour him?  
Secondly, Mac has insisted on his presence, claiming it a good opportunity for James to mingle, and find a nice girl, or aim higher and go for a goddess even, to cure his “disgusting tendencies”.  
So here James is, standing in the corner of the ballroom, nursing a glass of wine, and decidedly _not_ mingling, his mood somewhere between sombre and downright grim.  
That is, until he sees _him_.  
He looks beautiful and bright, with hair like sunlight and eyes like the ocean, and a physique that even puts the other gods to shame.  
James has never seen him before, and through his father, he had dealings with several of the gods, so he assumes the young man, though of course there is no way to tell the age of a god, must be a minor deity.  
It doesn’t matter though, because when he catches James looking and starts to smile, he swears that it lights up the room.  
Before he registers what he is doing, he is already across the room, and the young man’s smile brightens even more, if that is even possible.  
Then he realises that he doesn’t know how to introduce himself beyond “Good evening”, and to his own horror actually comes up with “How come I’ve never seen you before?”  
The young man doesn’t seem to mind though, because his smile stays and he nods. “I usually don’t go to these kind of parties. But my father insisted on my presence.”  
James chuckles. “We have something in common then.”  
“Good. I’m Harry, by the way. And I have to say, this was definitely worth going to after all.” He rakes his gaze over James body, smiling coyly, and James feels a pleasant warmth built in his stomach.

They chat the evening away, flirting with words and touches, and James lets himself hope for the first time in a long while.  
Until a serving girl walks up to him, nods curtly to James and says to Harry “Your fiancé is waiting for you.”  
Harry grimaces and looks across the room, where a light-haired man is chatting with two ladies, not looking in the slightest like he is waiting for Harry, and James recognises him instantly.  
“So the god of consequences is your fiancé?”, he questions, finding it ironically fitting, and Harry flinches just a little bit.  
“You know him?”  
James shrugs. “Who doesn’t?” He’s never spoken to Ste directly, but has heard enough about him to know what an unpleasant person he is, and that he’d rather keep his distance, and it really doesn’t fit for someone as lovely and bright as Harry to be engaged to someone like that.  
He regards him again, and Harry must misinterpret his statement, because he frowns.  
“You’re interested in him?”  
James knows that Ste has a reputation for getting around, as a lot of the gods do, but he still can’t help but snort, because that couldn’t be further from the truth.  
“I’m not after your boyfriend, I’m after you.”, he states confidently, watching Harry’s eyes widen and a pretty blush creep across his cheeks.  
Satisfied with that reaction, he steps just a little bit closer, lowering his voice intimately. “And I always get what I want.”

It is only later, long after the party, when Harry has been swept away by Ste, and James has been escorted home by his disapproving father, that he learns that Harry is the god of the sun.  
Rather than be overly surprised, he thinks that it makes sense, with how bright and beautiful Harry is, and how he lit up the room simply by existing.  
He immediately makes plans to see him again, determined to win him over and free him from Ste’s clutches.  
“You cannot court the sun”, his sister tells him, and he grins.  
“Watch me.”

So with a little help from Romeo, the god of love, who is one of his few friends, and finds the whole thing so interesting that he is more than happy to help, he makes sure to always show up where Harry is, sometimes being content with just being in the same room as him, but more often than not engaging and flirting with him.  
Harry acts exasperated, but James sees the glint in his eyes and the smile tugging at the corners of his mouth, and he knows that he will win him over sooner or later.

Then one day, he is out on a carriage ride, and this time it is an actually coincidence when he spots Harry.  
So of course he stops, and leans over the edge of the carriage. “Harry, fancy seeing you here! You look radiant today.”  
It is probably a little cheesy to say that to the god of the sun, but James can’t seem to help himself around Harry.  
However, he merely shrugs. “Did you want something, or were you just pointing out the obvious?”  
James grins. “It’s not my fault you’re hot.”  
Harry rolls his eyes, but James can see that he is fighting down a smile now. “Stop flirting”, he insists, and it’s James’ turn to shrug.  
“But how can I resist?”  
Harry raises his eyebrows. “Try”, he suggests, his tone slightly mocking, and starts to turn away, and James can’t have that.  
“Ah, come on, I have a picnic we can share. It will be nice. I’ll even tone down on the flirting.”  
Harry still seems reluctant, but James can see the slight smile form on his lips, and he knows that he’s won.  
So they go to that little hill overlooking the fields, sharing the picnic, laughing and chatting, and definitely not toning down on the flirting.  
It gets heavier the later it gets, glances and little touches, and the air feels charged with electricity between them, and James just knows that if he were to make a move now, Harry wouldn’t reject him.  
But that’s not how he plays this game, so he bides his time, leaning into Harry’s space slightly, and enjoying the way his pupils dilate and his breathing gets shallower.  
Satisfied with that reaction, he starts to draw back, but it seems that this is the moment that Harry decides that he can’t take it anymore, because he draws James forward by his lapels and kisses him soundly, and James is only too happy to respond.

And that’s how they start an affair, meeting in secret, stealing touches and kisses and _more_ whenever they can, and at first, James is content with it, happy to have Harry at all.  
Then one day, when they have an entire afternoon to themselves, and of course spend it in bed, he realises that it has become more than that. Now it isn’t just the thrill of the chase, the knowledge of doing something forbidden, and the pride of having seduced a god, but something different altogether. Now it’s personal, a lot deeper than he ever wanted it to be, and suddenly, he can’t bear the thought of Harry going back to his fiancé.  
Just as Harry is about to get up, he just says it: “Leave Ste.”  
Harry freezes. “Why?”  
And does he really have to ask that? “Because I love you.”  
For a second, Harry just stands there, his mouth open, blinking, like he can’t believe he heard that right. Then he moves back to the bed, leaning forward and cupping James’ cheek.  
“It’s not that simple.”  
James sighs. “It could be.”  
But Harry shakes his head. “I’m a god. I have responsibilities. I can’t just leave everything behind.”  
“So you’re giving up a chance at happiness out of a sense of duty?”  
And James gets it, he really does, but in this moment, the only thing he wants is to be with Harry, and he would defy all the gods for that.  
Harry looks conflicted, biting his lip, then he leans in and kisses him, and James knows that he is trying to distract him, but he is helpless to resist.

So their affair continues, getting more emotional with every passing day, James having to suffer through Ste parading Harry around, until one day, Romeo bursts into his home, wide eyed and frantic.  
“You need to stop the wedding!”  
James pauses with his cup halfway to his mouth. “The wedding isn’t for another month.”  
“No, they moved it up! You need to go, now!” Romeo sounds a little desperate, and James admires his investment in this.  
He sighs, putting down the cup. “Harry doesn’t want me to.”  
“Of course he does! He loves you!”  
And oh, how James wishes that were true. But he shakes his head, and Romeo frowns.  
“I’m the god of love, okay? I know what I’m talking about! Your love is like, fate-defying! So would you _please_ go now!”  
James nods, and is halfway out of the door, when he realises that a mortal can’t just reach the gods’ realms.  
Then he remembers the wings his father made, and grins. He’s been meaning to try them out for a while anyway.  
They work spectacularly at first, and James feels more triumphant than he ever has, positive that he will reach Harry in time, but in the end, it is as his sister said: You cannot court the sun.  
The wings melt, the feathers burning, and he plunges into the sea, his last thought how beautiful Harry’s smile is.

He wakes in unfamiliar surroundings, gasping for air, and before he can understand what is happening, Harry is at his side, hugging him.  
This must be the afterlife then, though he is not sure what he did to deserve landing in a nice fantasy.  
“What is this?”, he croaks, still not sure that this isn’t some kind of trick, and Harry pulls back a little, looking at him with worried eyes.  
“Romeo fished you out of the ocean just in time. And I… I couldn’t go through with the wedding. James, I love you.”  
This all sounds too good to be true. “I’m not dead?”  
“No, but it was close.” Harry’s eyes fill with tears. “I nearly lost you. But never again! I’m ready to commit to you. That is, if you still want me.” He looks away, as if unsure, and James can’t believe him.  
“Harry, I was ready to storm the heavens for you. Of course I want you. And I love you too.”  
Harry’s brilliant smile returns. “Romeo will help us run away.”  
With that, he leans in for a kiss, and James knows that their future will be bright.

**Author's Note:**

> I really considered leaving it at the falling into the sea part, but that is so not what we need right now, so have a happy ending! And find me @hazelestelle on tumblr if you wanna chat.


End file.
